In the final episode of Season One, I Offer Poetry explores Wild Geese by Mary Oliver.

Mary Oliver’s work is greatly influenced by her upbringing in Ohio and her chosen home, New England, as well as the authors Walt Whitman and Henry David Thoreau. While the focus of this episode is Wild Geese, Elizabeth also mentions two other poems of Oliver’s (The Summer Day and The Invitation) which she highly recommends to the audience for further reading.

A peaceful episode exploring answerless questions, admitting tough seasons often require post-it-note covered mirrors, and welcoming the invitation to stop feeling the need to constantly repent. This poem encapsulates what Elizabeth hopes we will all approach the New Year with; the desire and pursuit of letting the soft animal of your body love what it loves.

Timestamps: 

00:01:13 Poem Reading (Elizabeth)

00:02:26 Author Info

00:06:02 Elizabeth’s Relationship to the Poem

00:20:14 Pause / Poem Reading (Elizabeth)

00:22:36 Reflection & Gratitude

Poem & Links:

Wild Geese by Mary Oliver (© 1986)

Wild Geese Reading by Mary Oliver

The Summer Day (Mary Oliver)

Invitation (Mary Oliver)

I.O.P. Lexicon:

Repent: (verb) feel or express sincere regret or remorse about one's wrongdoing or sin.

Where to find our host Elizabeth:

@ellsonelizabeth    |   Twitter

Where to find us:

@iofferpoetry   |   Instagram 

@iofferpoetry   |  Twitter

[email protected]   |   iofferpoetry.com 

Produced & Edited by John Campione:

Campiaudio.com   |   @campiaudio

[email protected]

Music @zacharymanno | Art @sammycampioneart